374 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



this ten-year period, the years of 1907 and 1912. This applies 

 to grapes only. In 1907 we handled 262,124 baskets of grapes 

 through the association. We realized an average of 23^ cents 

 per eight-pound basket, and why? Because nearly all sec- 

 tions were short all over the country that year, and we were 

 long on grapes. Co-operation stepped in and enabled us to 

 reach out and get into touch with distant markets and we sold 

 grapes as far west as Seattle, south to San Antonio, and we 

 even had an order from Charleston, S. C. We could not fill 

 all our orders. This enabled us to dictate our own market 

 instead of dumping the grapes on our local market, and at 

 such prices as our curbstone brokers would see fit to dictate 

 to us. In 1912 we had the largest crop ever grown in our sec- 

 tion, and there was a very large crop generally over the country 

 and the average ran very low — 14.6 cents. Competition was 

 heavy in all directions. We shipped 383,367 baskets through 

 our association. Now right here at the height of the season, 

 when we were shipping out from seven to eight cars per day, 

 the non-co-operative growers were dumping their grapes on the 

 Omaha and Council Bluffs markets in all kinds of receptacles — - 

 even bushel baskets — and at any price offered. I want to ask 

 you where would the market have been if the associate mem- 

 bers had dumped from seven to eight carloads — twenty to 

 twenty-five thousand baskets a day — on top of the glut that 

 was already there. I say that without co-operation 75 per 

 cent at least of the growers of Council Bluffs and Omaha would 

 have been driven out of business and would have depreciated 

 the value of their land to at least 50 per cent of their present 

 valuation. 



There is one thing to which I wish to call your attention, 

 and this is what I consider the greatest enemy to co-operation 

 with the farmer. It is the speculator — he will exploit you. 

 That is his business — keep him out. Don't allow speculation. 

 Make the business strictly mutual, and let the organization 

 be for and of the growers only. You may think you need 

 speculator's influence, and capital — we thought so at one time, 

 but we know better now. I will not argue further against the 

 speculator, but let me urge you to limit your membership 

 strictly to men who specialize in the growing of fruit, and do 

 not allow any of your stock to be owned by outsiders; they 

 will not further your interests, but will be more likely to sap 

 your organization for their own gain. 



